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Alexander von Linsingen
|death_date= |image=Alexander von Linsingen.jpg |birth_place=Hildesheim, Kingdom of Hanover |death_place=Hannover, Germany |allegiance= |serviceyears=1868–1918 |rank=Generaloberst |commands= |unit= |battles=World War I :First Battle of the Marne :First Battle of Ypres :Brusilov Offensive :Battle of Kowel |awards=Pour le Mérite with Oak Leaves }} Alexander Adolf August Karl von Linsingen (10 February 1850 – 5 June 1935) was a German general during World War I. Military service Linsingen joined the Prussian Army in 1868 and rose to Corps Commander (II Corps) in 1909. He was one of the very few top German generals not to have served on the general staff. At the beginning of World War I, Linsingen was a Corps commander in the First Battle of the Marne. Transferred to the Eastern Front where German and Austrian armies were threatened by a Russian offensive in Galicia, Linsingen took command of South Army (1915). He defeated the Russian armies in the Battle of Stryi in 1915, capturing 60,000 Russian prisoners. He was awarded the Pour le Mérite on 14 May 1915 and the Oakleaves (for a second award) on 3 July 1915. In 1915, he took command of the Army of the Bug and was concurrently commander of Heeresgruppe Linsingen. In June 1916, his Army Group faced the Brusilov offensive. After an initial retreat, he checked the Russian advance at the Battle of Kowel. He was promoted to Colonel-General, the highest rank for a general in the German Army. In 1917-1918 he led the German offense into the Ukraine. After the end of the war with Russia, he became the Military Governor of Berlin (1918). Alexander von Linsingen died on 5 June 1935 and is interred at the Neuen St. Nikolai-Friedhof in Hannover, Germany. Decorations and awards * Iron Cross of 1870, 2nd class * Order of the Crown, 2nd class with Star (Prussia) * Knight of Justice of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg) * Service Award (Prussia) * Commander 2nd Class of the Order of Albert the Bear (Anhalt) * Knight's Cross 2nd Class of the Order of the Zähringer Lion with Oak Leaves (Baden) * Military Merit Order, 2nd class with Star (Bavaria) * Grand Cross with Gold Crown in the House Order of the Wendish Crown (Mecklenburg) * Grand Commanders Cross of the Order of the Griffon (Mecklenburg) * Grand Cross of the Friedrich Order * Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword * Iron Cross of 1914, 1st class * Pour le Mérite (14 May 1915); Oak Leaves added on 3 July 1915 * Order of the Black Eagle (27 January 1917) * Grand Cross of the Order of the Red Eagle with Swords (27 January 1917) Glossary *''Armee-Abteilung'' or Army Detachment in the sense of "something detached from an Army". It is not under the command of an Army so is in itself a small Army. *''Armee-Gruppe'' or Army Group in the sense of a group within an Army and under its command, generally formed as a temporary measure for a specific task. *''Heeresgruppe'' or Army Group in the sense of a number of armies under a single commander. References External links * Bibliography * Category:1850 births Category:1935 deaths Category:People from Hildesheim Category:People from the Kingdom of Hanover Category:German military personnel of World War I Category:German military personnel of the Franco-Prussian War Category:Prussian generals Category:Knights of the Order of Saint John (Bailiwick of Brandenburg) Category:Recipients of the Pour le Mérite (military class) Category:Recipients of the Order of the Black Eagle Category:Recipients of the Iron Cross (1870) Category:Recipients of the Iron Cross, 2nd class Category:Recipients of the Order of the Crown (Prussia), 2nd class Category:Recipients of the Order of Albert the Bear Category:Knights Second Class of the Order of the Zähringer Lion Category:Recipients of the Military Merit Order (Bavaria), 2nd class Category:Grand Crosses of the House Order of the Wendish Crown Category:Recipients of the Order of the Griffon (Mecklenburg) Category:Recipients of the Friedrich Order Category:Commanders Grand Cross of the Order of the Sword Category:Recipients of the Iron Cross (1914) Category:Recipients of the Iron Cross, 1st class Category:Grand Crosses of the Order of the Red Eagle